Juraj Slafkovsky - Year Two

[Lshap]

Didn’t see last nights game and can’t comment. However, since moving up he’s made a bunch of great plays and should have more points. It’s just a fact.

But the Habs did him no favours playing him on lower lines before this.

Bottom line - points or not - he’s been mostly good over the past five or six games. A big improvement. So I don’t see how it makes sense to send him down now that he’s finally upping his game.

Believe it or not Cole Caufield will start scoring again. And when he does they’ll come in bunches. Slaf will benefit from that too. For now we have to ride it out. As long as he’s improving he should stay on top lines. If his play drops - THEN send him down.

I mostly see what you see. Slafkovsky could have and should have more points, but the inescapable reality is he doesn't have more points. I'm good with "Have patience and the points will come", as long as that promise isn't totally open-ended. It can't be all potential and zero results. If the numbers aren't there because of Caufield's slump, that'll end soon and Slaf will bank a few points. But if Caufield starts scoring again and Slaf is still not getting results, there may be a reason and he should be sent down to see if the answer is there.

 

[Kennerback]

His big problem is that he can’t produce at all. The rest of his game is sufficient to play in the NHL.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

The Kraken sent back the one who should not be named to the AHL.

Jiricek was sent back.
Nemec is in the AHL.

Why cant the Habs make the decision? If the pick is really about 5 years down the road (so now three and 3/4 years), whats the hold up?

Ohhh you’re giving us proof Slaf is better than all these guys!!

 

[NORiculous]

Shouldn’t have been in the NHL last year I agree. And we screwed around with him for the first ten or so games this year on lower lines as well.

But now? He’s played well and his sniper linemate can’t score. It doesn’t make sense to me to send him down as he’s starting to play his best hockey.

I somewhat agree but I don’t see his play as very convincing.

There is also a fine line on helping him with good linemates and not annoying the ones who deserve it more.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I’m generally fine with keeping him up.
But I still think a little stint in the AHL would boost his confidence a bit and possibly/probably expedite things a bit.
It’s a tough call for me anyways

 

[Kennerback]

Ohhh you’re giving us proof Slaf is better than all these guys!!

Ds are more known to be sent down early in their careers. As for Wright, I’ve watched his games since he’s come back from the NHL. He keeps doing wild passes to no none and turnovers. I interpret this that he doesn’t want to be hit and gets rid of the puck to avoid contact. Maybe others might interpret it as him being a bad passer or lack concentration. Whatever it is, it’s obvious Hakstol is not impressed.

 

[admiralcadillac]

I’m generally fine with keeping him up.
But I still think a little stint in the AHL would boost his confidence a bit and possibly/probably expedite things a bit.
It’s a tough call for me anyways

As my cousin, who played with many nhlers in Saskatchewan, said, after one of his buddies (who is now a well established star and captain of an nhl team) got sent down and I asked him if it would be good for his development:

“No one f***ing thinks about their development when they’re going from planes and a million a year to buses and 80 grand. Players aren’t robots.”

 

[NotProkofievian]

This is the PDF of a poisson distribution with the mean set to Slafkovsky's career PPG. It almost perfectly matches the frequency of 0, 1, 2, 3 point games.

His production is just statistical noise, there's doesn't seem to be anything else behind it.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I mostly see what you see. Slafkovsky could have and should have more points, but the inescapable reality is he doesn't have more points. I'm good with "Have patience and the points will come", as long as that promise isn't totally open-ended. It can't be all potential and zero results. If the numbers aren't there because of Caufield's slump, that'll end soon and Slaf will bank a few points. But if Caufield starts scoring again and Slaf is still not getting results, there may be a reason and he should be sent down to see if the answer is there.

It goes back to the mishandling of this prospect. He should’ve been sent down when the team slumped last year. He shouldn’t have been with scrubs to start this year. So he’s got a whack of games that were mostly wasted and people are antsy.

Forget the points. He’s playing well now with better players. We have to see it through. If the play drops off, different story. Then we send him down.

 

[Mrb1p]

Ohhh you’re giving us proof Slaf is better than all these guys!!

Honestly I think he is slightly, at least than Wright. Doesnt mean much to me tho.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

View attachment 769503

This is the PDF of a poisson distribution with the mean set to Slafkovsky's career PPG. It almost perfectly matches the frequency of 0, 1, 2, 3 point games.

His production is just statistical noise, there's doesn't seem to be anything else behind it.

We don’t need a chart to see the points aren’t there. We know it.

The question should always be: is the prospect improving where he is? Is he developing well in his given situation?

For the most part, I’d say ‘no’. I’ve mostly hated the way we developed him. But the past five, six games he’s been so much better. The points don’t matter much there because he produced chances. I don’t see why you’d send him down right as he’s finding his game.

 

[Kennerback]

View attachment 769503

This is the PDF of a poisson distribution with the mean set to Slafkovsky's career PPG. It almost perfectly matches the frequency of 0, 1, 2, 3 point games.

His production is just statistical noise, there's doesn't seem to be anything else behind it.

When I see Michkov and Bedard this season, they are a threat to score everytime they are on the ice. Give them an inch and the puck‘s in the net. Now they’ve been like that since they’ve been 8 years old. They‘ve scored goals in the thousands.

I don’t know how Slaf will just start shooting, scoring and producing points from scratch in the NHL.

 

[NORiculous]

Ohhh you’re giving us proof Slaf is better than all these guys!!

Right… so by the way you are thinking Slafkovsky > Bedard since Slafkovsky has more games played…

Give me a break.

 

[NotProkofievian]

We don’t need a chart to see the points aren’t there. We know it.

The question should always be: is the prospect improving where he is? Is he developing well in his given situation?

For the most part, I’d say ‘no’. I’ve mostly hated the way we developed him. But the past five, six games he’s been so much better. The points don’t matter much there because he produced chances. I don’t see why you’d send him down right as he’s finding his game.

I like to look at the Poisson distribution to see if a guy is getting lucky or unlucky, like when Danault would score a hattrick or a 4 point game, and immediately afterwards people would say ''he's on pace for 60 points!'' If you estimated his production by the number of 0s he put up via the Poisson formula, though, you'd say he's on pace for like 48.

Slaf is almost exactly what you'd expect by his total. Neither unlucky, nor lucky. He gets on the board about once every 5 games, which is what he's done in the last 5 games. I'm going to guess he gets on the board about once in the next 5 games too.

 

[nhlfan9191]

As my cousin, who played with many nhlers in Saskatchewan, said, after one of his buddies (who is now a well established star and captain of an nhl team) got sent down and I asked him if it would be good for his development:

“No one f***ing thinks about their development when they’re going from planes and a million a year to buses and 80 grand. Players aren’t robots.”

That’s not something he’s suppose to have any control over. That’s on management. If you’re not good enough for the NHL, be prepared to ride the buses.

 

[admiralcadillac]

That’s not something he’s suppose to have any control over. That’s on management. If you’re not good enough for the NHL, be prepared to ride the buses.

Is that a reply to my comment though? It was about boosting confidence. No one thinks that way when they get demoted.

 

[Heffyhoof]

How do you manage his ice time compared to guys like Ylonen or anyone else that is contributing?

Seriously? Try to make the Slaf hate less obvious.

 

[Jaynki]

His big problem is that he can’t produce at all. The rest of his game is sufficient to play in the NHL.

1/5 into the season i think it summarize it pretty well.

I am a bit underwhelmed. On one hand i think he progressed really well but the lack of offensive production is worrying. We will only go so far with IFs.

There is still time to turn things around but ending the season with 20 points would not be encouraging going into his D+3.

 

[Tanknation]

Avoid pain and accept reality. Reality is we have the worst 1st pick up all time. This is like the McCarron pick all over again, but with a 1st overall.

Fitting of course being a Habs fan. The curse lives on. The more management they change, the more things stay the same...

Nothing this guy has shown leads me to believe he will be more than a 30-40 point player. And soft player to boot. I think a good ceiling and comparison for him is "Nik Antropov" . Although I doubt he ever comes close to 25 goals.

 

[NotProkofievian]

As my cousin, who played with many nhlers in Saskatchewan, said, after one of his buddies (who is now a well established star and captain of an nhl team) got sent down and I asked him if it would be good for his development:

“No one f***ing thinks about their development when they’re going from planes and a million a year to buses and 80 grand. Players aren’t robots.”

This is an excellent point and makes clear the folly of putting a kid into the NHL right away. It's not just the difference in league quality. He's making close to a million per year, flying charter, staying in nice hotels and driving nice cars. We've given him the prize already and he's anything but a finished product.

It's different making 80 grand riding buses when you're a kid who hasn't ever known any better (sounds pretty good for a 19 year old, doesn't even include the 90 grand signing bonus), vs being sent to ride buses and make 80 grand after you've lived the millionaire lifestyle and think you deserve it.

 

[Habs]

Didn’t see last nights game and can’t comment. However, since moving up he’s made a bunch of great plays and should have more points. It’s just a fact.

But the Habs did him no favours playing him on lower lines before this.

Bottom line - points or not - he’s been mostly good over the past five or six games. A big improvement. So I don’t see how it makes sense to send him down now that he’s finally upping his game.

Believe it or not Cole Caufield will start scoring again. And when he does they’ll come in bunches. Slaf will benefit from that too. For now we have to ride it out. As long as he’s improving he should stay on top lines. If his play drops - THEN send him down.

You need the right players to develop and we do not have that right now. I hope kent makes some moves with prospects or picks to bring in some young help , we will be spinning our gears with this current lineup it needs some help so badly.

 

[Jaynki]

We don’t need a chart to see the points aren’t there. We know it.

The question should always be: is the prospect improving where he is? Is he developing well in his given situation?

For the most part, I’d say ‘no’. I’ve mostly hated the way we developed him. But the past five, six games he’s been so much better. The points don’t matter much there because he produced chances. I don’t see why you’d send him down right as he’s finding his game.

I partly agree.

It's true that he is generating chances but there is something ''mental'' about scoring and finishing. Generating chances is not enough. At some point, it will have to evolve to another level.

It's hard from a skill point of view to be an NHL player with an offensive status. Those are also big shoes to fill from a psychological standpoint.

Being a 1st overall pick is a very big status to hold psychologically too.

There is a big mental skill in being an NHL point producer. Slaf might not be there yet mentally.

 

[NORiculous]

Seriously? Try to make the Slaf hate less obvious.

Guy scored two goals with 7 min of ice time. You don’t think he earned a shot at 1 game with better players and better ice time? And that is supposed to be hate??

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Right… so by the way you are thinking Slafkovsky > Bedard since Slafkovsky has more games played…

Give me a break.

How many winky faces did I need on my post. Put the knife down sir/mam! lol

 

[BehindTheTimes]

There is nothing to comprehend. There is nothing better of what he does.
His defensive plays are invisible
He's scared to use his body
He's always 1-2 sec too late with the puck.
He gets bodied way too easily , with his size he should be the one bodying people.

What don't you understand that this kid place right now is not in the NHL but in the AHL?

He averages 15min a game this season , even gets #2 PP time. What else do we need that he's simply not ready? Why are you all so scared to send him in the AHL to learn , why do people think the AHL is a prison or what? Many players learned in the AHL. Not everyone is NHL ready.

He's on pace for 15 points this season , do people not have any standards anymore? We sent other players for less in the last years , why not Slaf? The coach don't even know what to do with him to begin with.

Do we need another 230 pages to go around it? Pezetta is a bigger menace than him at this point and last time I checked , Pezetta is barely a regular in the NHL.

I was being sarcastic.